ICELAND

 But first:

Dow hits new closing record as tech stocks drag Nasdaq

• This has been a great week for the DOW and the S&P 500, for they set record highs on Tuesday.
• The Dow rose 263.18 yesterday to 54,349.06.
• However both the S&P and Nasdaq dropped.
• Volume of 17.85 million share volume was slightly higher than the average of the past trading days.

Regarding the Iran war, there seems to be a truce,  and therefore some relief, without any clear resolution.  

• Iran is close to reaching an agreement  with Oman to open the Strait of Hormuz.  The U.S. could approve this, or not.  There is that matter of fees.
• Oil prices, though, are edging down today, $79.24 for the Brent.
• There remain two blockades.
• U.S. over Iranian ports.
• Houthis on Saudi Arabia.
• The new Iranian Supreme Leader, the younger Khamenei, was wounded in the strike that killed his father, and has not since then appeared in public.  Did not go to the funeral.

We just returned from our tour of Reykjavik.  I need some time to organize the outing and will provide details tomorrow.  For now, some history of Iceland.

• Gaelic monks from Ireland first came around 800 AD, and were not there when Vikings from Norway arrived in 861.
• Towards the end of the 10th century, Christianity arrived through the influence of Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason.  Why?
• Around 961, Eldgja volcano erupted and created food crises throughout world.
• Many thought this was an act of God, so in came Christianity.

• 
  Norway, Sweden and Denmark were united in one alliance from 1397 to 1523.
• When this Kalmar Union dissolved, Iceland fell under Danish rule.
• Iceland did not fare well for the next few centuries.
• Laki volcano erupted in 1783, killing 9,000 and 80% the livestock on the island.

• 
  Fought with UK/U.S/Canada troops, and gained sovereignty after World War One, becoming the Kingdom of Iceland in 1918, but still linked to Denmark until World War 2.
• Iceland stayed neutral in World War 2, but was occupied by 25,000 UK troops.

• 
  In 1944, while Denmark was under Nazi occupation, Iceland declared itself a republic, and at that time was occupied by the USA, with 40,000 military people.
• Was a founding member of NATO, and joined the United Nations in 1945.
• By the end of WWII, Iceland was transformed from one of Europe's poorest countries to one of the world's wealthiest.  Even then, they received the most Marshall Aid per capita than any European country.

• 
  Vigdis Finnbogadottir became president in 1980, the first elected female head of state in the world.
• Never joined the European Union.
• While financial growth was excellent, Iceland suffered a financial crisis from 2008-2011, the population dropped,
• In 2009, the prime minister was Johann Siguroardottir, the world's first open homosexual head of government.
• 
• In 2010, a series of volcanic events at Eyafjallajokull caused enormous disruption air travel.
• Is a relatively young island, formed by volcanic eruption 20 million years ago.  Still growing.  The island of Hawaii is only a million years old.
• Was covered with ice until 10,000 years ago, when the Ice Age ended.

• 
  Iceland today is run by Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir and President Hall Tomasdottir.
• Iceland's first and only billionaire is 59-year old Thor Bjorgolfsson (right).  Educated in the USA, but made his early money in Russia.
• Iceland has just about 400,000 people.
• Some fun facts about Iceland.
• Is about the same geographical size as the state of Virginia.  However, Iceland is 2.4 times larger than Denmark.  
• Has Europe's oldest Parliament, formed in 930.

• 
  Belongs to NATO, but is the only member with no military.
• Police don't carry guns.
• Named the world's safest country in 2024 for the 16th year in a row by the Global Peace Index.
• Watch out for Hakarl, fermented shark.  Pungent and a tradition.
• Geothermal energy is responsible for 85% of the electricity, with hydro the remaining 15%.

• 
  Around one in ten Icelanders will publish a book in their lifetime.
• No McDonald's.  But Subway and KFC, yup.  Hamburgers are most popular, served by their longstanding Hamborgarabulla Tomasar, also known as Tommi's Burger Joint or Bullan.  There are nine of them.  Old McDonald's are now called Metro.
• There are no mosquitos.
• Has the least densely populated country in Europe.  Two-thirds live in Reykjavik, the capital.
• 
  Has some strange museums
• The Icelandic Phallological Museum has 280 penis specimens from different animals, including humans.
• There is a Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft.

• 
  Has 250 named glaciers, which cover 11% of its land.  Vatnajokull is three times the size of Luxembourg.  However, since 2000, have shrunk by 750 square kilometers, an area bigger than Singapore.

Tomorrow, our 7-hour tour of Iceland.  Here is just one video, of Brúarfoss Waterfalls.

I'll close with what might be the most difficult national anthem to sing, Iceland's Lofsöngur.  Here is another version.  You need to be able to cover nearly two octaves.  The Star-Spangled Banner is a challenge at an octave and a fifth.

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WE ARE IN SEATTLE

Took Delta from Honolulu to Seattle.  First time I've been on this airline for decades.  Why?  Because it was so much cheaper and quicker in business class compared to Alaska, Hawaiian or United.  While business or first class international allows you into their lounge to await departure, this does not apply to domestic flights.  

Views of Diamond Head and a Hawaiian Airlines plane behind us as we are taxiing to the Reef Runway.

Taking-off.

Business class environment, service, food and drinks were excellent. Watched a 2025 Taiwanese film:

• A composite of all the things that can go wrong on two trains going in opposite directions, with a dozen backstories and a lot of flashbacks.
• Good visual effects,
• Confusing.
• Too many relationships and side stories to appreciate
• No score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The audio-visual system was superior, with access  to the following live channels.

Airline also gave a lot of data as we crossed the Pacific.

Sunset just before our Seattle approach.

The time in Honolulu, Seattle, and Atlanta, with other info.  I wonder if Atlanta was the next stop.  Did not realize that this city was at elevation.

Landed on time at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.  At 10PM, still a whole lot of people milling about.

The Airport Marriott shuttle runs 24 hours/day, every 15 minutes.  Room, outstanding.  Breakfast, free, and as about expected, or okay.  One day fine, but every day for a week can get tiresome.  Of course, I will hate to gain another 7 pounds on this trip, so, fine, for something similar will be served when we are in Reykjavik, Montreal and Vancouver.  

A bit cloudy this morning with outside temperature of 64F.  This is what we would see if clear.

Mount Rainier:

• Also known as Tahoma, is a stratovolcano, 59 miles from Seattle.
• 14,406 feet tall, the highest mountain in the state of Washington.
• Still is considered to be an active volcano.
• Read this from Wikipedia, and get as confused as I am:

The most recent recorded volcanic activity was between 1820 and 1854, but many eyewitnesses reported eruptive activity in 1858, 1870, 1879, 1882, and 1894 as well.^[58]Additionally, the Smithsonian Institution's volcanism project records the last volcanic eruption as 1450 CE.^[6]

Due to its high probability of an eruption in the near future and proximity to a major urban area, Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list.^[14] The large amount of glacial ice means that Mount Rainier could produce massive lahars that could threaten the entire Puyallup River valley and other river valleys draining Mount Rainier, including the Carbon, White, Nisqually, and Cowlitz (above Riffe Lake).^[15] According to the United States Geological Survey's 2008 report, "about 80,000 people and their homes are at risk in Mount Rainier's lahar-hazard zones."^[16]

• 
  Mount St. Helens, for example blew up in 1980, but had a previous eruption in 1857.  More recently had some activity in the 2004-2008 period.
• They are both part of the Ring of Fire.
• Nearly half a million people have attempted to climb Mount Rainier from 1950 to 2022.  Approximately 84 died.

This afternoon, Icelandair to Reykjavik.  Will take 7 hours and 35 minutes.

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WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

 Latest news:

• Peace talks with Iran?
• Israel continues to express concern about the Hamas.
• Looks like Todd Blanche's confirmation vote on the floor will occur, at the end of the week, just before the Senate goes into recess.  But will he pass?

Seems like I haven't been on a trip for awhile.  Actually, we returned less than three months ago after our cruises down the Mississippi and from Manhattan to Toronto, then a train ride from Toronto to Vancouver.  On our return, I looked ahead at our next adventure and said:

• We fly to Iceland to see some geo-cold sites, then board the Azamara Journey for 18-nights from Rekjavik to Greenland, ending up in Montreal. 
• Of course, there is one primary reason we will be on this cruise.  The next total solar eclipse.  Sun will stay dark for 2 minutes and 18 seconds on August 12.

So, anyway, we leave today on our eclipse trip.

• The Azamara Journey cruise is hopefully where we will experience that total eclipse.  The ship goes on to Montreal.

• 
  We'll fly to Vancouver, then board the Silver Whisper back to Honolulu

If you don't live along this rather narrow path, less than 200 miles wide, you won't be able to view the 100% total eclipse.  However, just about a year from today, on 2August2027, there will be a total eclipse for the ages.  Your big chance.

• This will be the longest total solar eclipse--6 minutes and 23 seconds--until 2114.

• 
  Misses Cairo, but will be right over Luxor.
• So if you ever wanted to cruise the Nile, this will be for you.
• Hmmmm.....
• However cruise packages are now already mostly wait listed.

One solution is provided by Google AI:

Specialized Nile river cruises and land-plus-cruise packages are available to see the August 2, 2027 total solar eclipse in Luxor, though continuous cruising directly from Cairo to Luxor on the river is rare or modified due to locks and river geography. Most operators combine Cairo hotel stays with a flight to Upper Egypt and a localized Nile cruise or Dahabiya that moors in Luxor for totality. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

We await our Delta flight to Seattle, stay overnight at the Airport Marriott, then tomorrow, Icelandair to Reykjavik.

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MY LIFE: PART 3G Pearl's Ashes--Mount Kilimanjaro

 But first, a few news developments:

• Chance for peace in Iran?
• About that Hamas disarm matter, Israel bombed the Gaza Strip yesterday.
• Before you get too optimistic about that possible ceasefire development in Ukraine, here is a Wikipedia article about past efforts.

• 
  Yes, there is another Heat Dome over Western North American:
• Las Vegas reached 115 F yesterdsay,
• Phoenix, Arizona will hit 116 F and El Centro, California 118 F today.
• Even Montana is expecting 104 F today.
• Parts of Mexico will get up to 120 F, and Canada will be 22 F to 43 F ABOVE NORMAL.
• Hot, but not as bad as the Heat Dome last month. 

Now, on to Pearl's Ashes ceremonies #10 and #11, in Africa.

• Some background info:

When Pearl grew up in Hilo, Mauna Kea could be seen from her home.  The volcano was especially awesome during the winter months when covered with snow.  If there was anywhere Pearl wanted to visit, but I did not, it was Africa, with Mount Kilimanjaro being her link to Mauna Kea.  Plus, there was the movie King Solomon's Mines, which was one of her favorites.  Thus, my initial thoughts to spread her ashes came from this specific feeling of guilt.

• 
  Africa was but one of several stops on my global tour:

The trip to Kilimanjaro was one of my great grand odysseys, an around the world journey of two months.  In September of 2010 I flew from Honolulu to Japan, then on to South Korea, China, Switzerland, Kenya, Tanzania, Qatar, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, then DC, Austin and Las Vegas, before returning to Honolulu.

• 
  My first stop was Japan, where I gave two talks on the Blue Revolution.
• In Tokyo to the Marine Technology Society.
• At Akita University, where I had a special encounter.  First dinner with five other professors.  Then:

On my way back to my room I noticed there was a bar area called 50's Cafe. I walked into a bizarre scene. First of all, the music, very loud, was only American of the 50's. I'm sure I was the only person who grew up in those times as I don:t think anyone else in the room was as old as 50. 

There were about a dozen seated around a large table where one gentleman dominated the conversation, speaking at high intensity to overcome the music. An equal number was seated at three nearby tables very observant of the main one. Although there were six staff members in white shirts or tuxedos, these lower dozen leaped when this person needed a drink, serving as the interface between this high dozen and the serve staff. When anyone walked out to use the restroom or make a call, he politely bowed to that  main table first.  Outside were a couple of armed (?) protectors.

Had I known what I subsequently saw  I would not have gone in.  In any case, I was there and the only alien not associated with the above scenario. While Akita I don't think is known for organized crime, my fantasy mind running wild, I could only guess that these were Yakuza. (I later confirmed this to be so, in some astonishment, for they are not allowed to frequent normal public establishments.  But this was an out of the way onsen.) I was tempted to check their fingers, but room was too dark.

• 
  I'll yet get to Kilimanjaro, but Akita was the beginning of a side journey for me.  I earlier had begun a roots search for my father's father, Kenjiro (I was named after him), whose family came from this area.  Here is a gravestone I visited.  

• 
  More so, I decided to follow the path Kenjiro's parents took around 1872 when Japan feared the incursion of Russia into Hokkaido, so they were sent, first to Otaru, where Kenjiro was born, then on to Sapporo, when the population was about a thousand, and on to Utashinai.  It was from there that Kenjiro sometime in the 1890's, went to the USA to learn something.  On his way back to Japan, he stopped off on Kauai, got married, bore my father, built the first hydroelectric power plant on the island at Wainiha, and died in an accident at work at the age of 33.
• 
  Second stop.

My China stop was Shanghai, an extraordinary city, which was then hosting a World Expo.  You've been in 100 Yen ($1) stores in Japan.  China  has 30 Cents shops. 

• My day at this Expo.

• 
  Finally, I'm in Africa, and confirmed why I just don't like it here.  The graft, disease, poverty and ...  The plane from Zurich landed in Nairobi, where the hotel warned me, don't walk out of the hotel even during the daytime.  I joined a Tauck Tour and we are flown over Mount Kilimanjaro to Tanzania.  Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side of the plane, so the photo to the left was provided by someone who I met in the tour, Arturo Gonzalez.
• 
  PA#10 was at the Nogorongoro Serena.  The  hotel reminded me of the Volcano House on the Big Island, where Pearl and I stayed several times.  Both Nogorongoro and Halemaumau (PA#6) are craters.  To the left is the view from my room where I placed PA#10.

• Highlights of this portion of the tour were visits to a Maasai (formerly Masai) Village, Oldupai(formerly Olduvai) Gorge (here with Curator Samba Ikayo) and those animals (like giraffes).

• 
  When I got to the airport in Kenya, I still had not dropped off Pearl's ashes near Mount Kilimanjaro.  So anti-climatic, but:

Desperate to do something close to Kilimanjaro, I finally selected a nice spot at the airport, but took this photo to identify the location.  Yes, that's a beer sign, and that tree is not a Jacaranda, but I'm taking this photo from where the gel cap was thrown.

Next dropping off her ashes at Machu Picchu.  This became a fearful adventure.

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